Panda Bear It

Kamus Leonardo (Damon Elliott Bynum) is a writer/rapper who having suffered a bereavement is coping, but badly. He’s not writing or anything worthwhile, his job in a store/café/bar is suffering and straining his relationship with boss and co-worker Rhonda (Brigitte Moneybound Kelly), he’s eating tons of junk food and has a panda bear for company who communicates with squeaks and blatant body language.

With surreal images and a score that crosses multiple genres with great effect Kamus decides to take a drive into the country to see if he can find some inspiration. It doesn’t quite work out when he’s accosted by what appear to be three local residents who pinch his lyric book reading from it and not that impressed. This is broken up by a farmer (Eric Hartley) with shots in the air. Their initial mutual mistrust falls away as they get to know each other and talk, properly, something neither has been able to do for a while.

This is a very interesting film that casts an eye over grief, coping and to some extent self-responsibly. Bynum is excellent and touching with a natural performance of a person completely traumatised by bereavement but struggling to cope and indeed possibly if he ever wants to, as the depression slowly takes hold with the comfort of his rubbish food in almost a state of limbo.

Written and directed by Evan Kidd Panda Bear It may be a little too displacing for some with the images but crucially it never feels as if it is weird for weird’s sake. Although more corporeal than the Panda could we look at the three who pick up his writings as three of the muses there to perversely inspire by derision?

The excellent bright and breezy cast revel in Kidd’s script. And there’s plenty to ponder on as Kamus journey’s through dealing with his grief, taking stock and moving on. And the panda? Whether the panda is a figment of his imagination or a manifestation of grief is dealt with in the film simply and unambiguously.

Panda Bear It is available on Amazon Prime.